A firefighter leans over the railing outside the entrance of St. Paul's by the Sea Church in Ocean City, where a fire took two lives and left a woman critically injured.

The fire tragedy at St. Paul's By The Sea Episcopal Church in Ocean City last week was truly horrifying. It is impossible to know what would possess a man to buy gasoline, set himself on fire and then walk into a hunger ministry area of the church. The resulting conflagration killed Rector David Dingwall and the man, and also injured severely a woman.

To the general public, such events make emotions run high. That's also true for public officials, who often find themselves feeling protective of the innocents involved in such a case.

Nonetheless, it's vital that government officials follow protocol and the law. That's why it's troubling that Ocean City officials refused to release the name of the injured woman.

Ocean City Police Captain Mike Colbert had this to say in explanation: "As far as the police department is concerned, she's the victim of a serious crime. We're not going to release any information, either on her name or her condition or her injuries right now. I understand that the family is talking to the press, maybe, but the police department, out of respect for her, we're not going to release."

Sadly, there is no clear legal justification for the police department's position. From time immemorial, law-enforcement authorities have understood that if a car accident happens, or a fire happens, or a crime happens, then the names of the persons involved are, with rare exception, a matter of public record.

That means that if any of us, attorney or farmer or newspaper editor, is injured in a crash or in a fire, we should expect to see our names in police reports and in local media.

That might not be the wish of the injured persons' loved ones, but it is a fair and reasonable and consistent approach in a society where the free flow of information is vital.

The reason for this is clear: Such events are a matter of public concern. Authorities cannot place themselves in the position of judging which names should be made public and which ones not.

Why is this the case? Well, for one, it's to ensure favoritism does not take place. It would be a sorry thing if a person of power could nudge law enforcement to withhold the name of his son who was in a crash. And for another, there would be no consistent way to draw the line.

In the Ocean City case, the church itself made public the name of Dana Truitt, whose recovery we all hope will go smoothly. Simply knowing her name makes the reality of last week's tragedy all the more apparent, and the public all the more sympathetic.